CHATHAM — The class C/D boys' volleyball sectional crown has been right within Chatham's grasp the past four seasons.

The Panthers advanced to their fifth consecutive sectional final in the 2011-12 season, but for the fourth time in as many seasons, they fell just short of hoisting up the championship plaque.

Now with a mix of four veteran players and a handful of fresh faces, Chatham will try to make a push for its sixth straight appearance and first title since 2007-08.

Senior captain Adam Taylor is one of the squad's returning players and will anchor the Panthers defense as the team's libero.

"The experience helps a lot," Taylor said. "Everyone talks to each other and helps each other out."

"(The returning players) are important from day one because of all the new kids," said Chatham coach Matt Torrey, in his 10th season with the program. "It's their mind-set that will be more important than anything."

Aside from a solid front line, serving will be another area that Chatham should excel in.

But there is one aspect of their game that the Panthers would like to improve on.

"We have to work on our passing," Hamm said.

"If you can't pass, then you can't set and you can't hit," Torrey said.

Ichabod Crane is an early favorite to win the Patroon Conference title with a strong group of players back from its Class B regional championship squad.

The team that bested the Panthers in the Class C/D sectional final last season, Coxsackie-Athens, lost a significant portion of its squad as well as its coach, Justin Pruiksma, who stepped down after one season with the Indians.

Chatham, which will host Germantown on Tuesday in its regular-season opener, is unsure how its season will play out, but hopes to mirror last year – with a different outcome of course.

"It would be nice to win this year," Melanson said. "It's a good group of kids. They all want to win."